Muffled though the voice was, it plainly issued from Uncle Israel's room,
and under the impression that the bath cabinet had finally set the house
on fire, Mrs. Carr ran hastily upstairs, followed closely by Mrs. Holmes,
who was flanked at the rear by the grinning Willie and the interested
twins.
From a confused heap of bedding, Uncle Israel's scarlet ankles waved
frantically. "Help! Help!" he cried again, his voice being almost wholly
deadened by the pillows, which had fallen on him after the collapse.
Dorothy helped the trembling old man to his feet. He took a copious
draught from the pain-killer, then sat down on his trunk, much perturbed.
Investigation proved that the bed cord had been cut in a dozen places by
some one working underneath, and that the entire structure had instantly
caved in when Uncle Israel had crept up to the summit of his bed and lain
down to take his afternoon nap. When questioned, Willie proudly admitted
that he had done it.
"Go down and ask Mrs. Smithers for the clothes-line," commanded Dorothy,
sternly.
"I won't," said Willie, smartly, putting his hands in his pockets.
"You had better go yourself, Mrs. Carr," suggested Mrs. Holmes. "Willie is
tired. He has played hard all day and needs rest. He must not on any
account over-exert himself, and, besides, I never allow any one else to
send my children on errands. They obey me and me alone."
"Go yourself," said Willie, having gathered encouragement from the
maternal source.
"I'll go," wheezed Uncle Israel. "I can't sleep in no other bed.
Ebeneezer's beds is all terrible drafty, and I took two colds at once
sleepin' in one of 'em when I knowed better 'n to try it." He tottered out
of the room, the very picture of wretchedness.
"Was it not clever of Willie?" whispered Mrs. Holmes, admiringly, to
Dorothy. "So much ingenuity--such a fine sense of humor!"
"If he were my child," snapped Dorothy, at last losing her admirable
control of a tempestuous temper, "he'd be soundly thrashed at least three
times a week!"
"I do not doubt it," replied Mrs. Holmes, contemptuously. "These married
old maids, who have no children of their own, are always wholly out of
sympathy with a child's nature."
"When I was young," retorted Mrs. Carr, "children were not allowed to rule
the entire household. There was a current superstition to the effect that
older people had some rights."
"And yet," Mrs. Holmes continued, meditatively, "as the editor of _The
Ladies' Own_ so pertinently asks, what is a house for if not to bring up a
child in? The purpose of architecture is defeated, where there are no
children."
Uncle Israel, accompanied by Dick, hobbled into the room with the
clothes-line. Mrs. Holmes discreetly retired, followed by her offspring,
and, late in the afternoon, when Dorothy and Dick were well-nigh fagged
out, the structure was in place again. Tremulously the exhausted owner lay
down upon it, and asked that his supper be sent to his room.
By skilful manoeuvring with Mrs. Smithers, Dick compelled the
proud-spirited Willie to take up Uncle Israel's tray and wait for it.
"I'll tell my mother," whimpered the sorrowful one.
"I hope you will," replied Dick, significantly; but for some reason of his
own, Willie neglected to mention it.
At dinner-time, Mr. Perkins drew a rolled manuscript, tied with a black
ribbon, from his breast pocket, and, without preliminary, proceeded to
read as follows: